The invention disclosed herein relates to shields for use in clearing, cleaning, maintaining, etc. dental hand tools (e.g., handpieces and syringes) prior to sterilization or disposal thereof while preventing escape of any matter ejected from the hand tool into the surrounding area where it can otherwise contaminate the person and clothing of individuals, equipment, etc. Such a shield directs the ejected matter into a means which transports the ejected matter away for suitable disposal. The shields are suited for use in a typical dental office where the transporting means may be a suction line (a high volume line, a saliva ejector line or both), or a cuspidor.
Frequently an unsterilized, used dental hand tool is operated outside a patient's mouth to clear, clean or maintain it. While the used hand tool is being openly operated, there is the risk that liquid or solid material on or in the hand tool will separate from the hand tool and contaminate individuals or objects in the surrounding area. The dental hand tools now in common use include high and low speed handpieces, which are driven by pressurized air and may direct pressurized water to the hand tool tip, and three way syringes. In operation those hand tools eject a spray, which, if the hand tool is openly operated pose a contamination risk to the person and clothing of individuals, and objects such as dental equipment in the surrounding area which may later be touched or used while thought to be sterile. In the case of dental handpieces which are driven by pressurized air, they typically generate an aerosol, particularly the high speed handpieces, which may be carried away from the immediate area of the handpiece, to significantly increase the contamination risk. Recently, the spread of highly contagious diseases like AIDS has made open operation of such unsterilized and used hand tools a matter of concern.
The invention addresses that concern by providing a device which substantially prevents the escape of matter from a dental hand tool which is being operated outside a patient's mouth, for example, when cleaning, clearing or maintaining it.